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The Truth On Training Intensity and Longevity

I've heard many high level competitors train at a low intensity most of the time two or three times a day for a week straight. These guys only up the intensity in specific situations such as positional live drilling, only with trusted training partners, and keep rolling to a minimum.

The old school mentality says to push the body to understand what is a mental barrier and what is a physical limit.

What do you believe is the optimal training intensity for a competitive athlete while keeping the body healthy and without injury?

If you want to train 5-7x a week, long-term, then managing the intensity is important. You can't go 100% or even 90% or 80% for 6 days a week, 4 weeks a month without racking up some nice systemic damage that will eventually lead to an injury that takes you off the mats and interrupts your learning.

Therefore I'd say the optimal training intensity for a competitive athlete is the highest intensity they can manage without falling prey to the situation outlined above.

I think the older you get the lower the intensity has to be.
You definitely cant be going 7 days a week, daily doubles, and expect to be healthy at 45 years old. If you're 25 years old that may be a realistic possibility.

Managing the intensity is definitely important especially as you get older. I would say professional athletes should train 5-6 times a week (basically, every day) but not as intense to keep your body healthy?

Low intensity technical work will get you volume, and is good cerebrally. High intensity grind is important but not necessary all the time. A way to get that high intensity grind without as much risk of injury is to tire yourself (my go to is wrestling positional drills) and then go positionally from there on a short timer ( We use 1 minute ), rotating jobs and partners.

I started in August. I'm 35 and in decent shape. I can only manage 2-3 times a week. Any more than that and I'd be too stiff/sore. Learning to tap earlier has helped. In that time though I've still managed to catch a bruised rib on two occasions and a sprained wrist. One of the rib injuries pretty much took me out of class for 3-4 weeks and the current one I've been out a week so far and counting.

When I'm rolling now I'm basically just thinking about trying to go home in the same shape as I showed up. Even still the rib stuff just happens and takes forever to heal. I wish I could show up every day like the kids but it's just impossible.